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LMFT

Melana Serka, LMFT

  • Experience14 years
  • LocationCalifornia
  • Focus areasADHD, Stress and Anxiety, and Relationship
  • Therapy approachesClient-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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About Melana

Melana Serka is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in California who focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, relationship strain, and life transitions. She brings 14 years of clinical experience alongside personal perspective as a single mother by choice, which informs a practical and empathetic style.

Background and approach

Melana emphasizes collaboration, working with clients to identify patterns that drain energy and to build skills that restore clarity and connection. Her work incorporates evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior strategies, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and client-centered techniques.

These approaches are used to address a wide range of concerns including depression, trauma and abuse, ADHD, eating and body-related issues, bipolar challenges, and family-of-origin dynamics. She also attends to communication problems, caregiver stress, codependency, and blended family concerns.

Melana frames therapy as a process of honest reflection and concrete change, blending compassionate listening with goal-focused interventions. She offers sessions via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging and supports clients who want to reduce overwhelm, improve relationships, and create more sustainable routines and emotional balance.

Approach-driven online therapy for practical change

Melana commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based techniques to support clients online. CBT helps identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and replace them with strategies that produce clearer outcomes; it is often used for anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes. Mindfulness therapy focuses on present-moment awareness and stress reduction, teaching skills to notice emotions and respond rather than react, which can be helpful for emotional regulation and relationship tensions.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist works with each client to explore goals, preferences, and day-to-day challenges and will blend methods as needed so the work matches what the client needs and wants to accomplish. This shared decision-making helps tailor sessions to practical steps and measurable progress.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for busy schedules and different communication styles. These formats make it simpler to fit regular sessions into life, maintain continuity when circumstances change, and access support from wherever the client is located within California.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Melana commonly address?
She works with clients facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, self-esteem challenges, ADHD, and related issues such as eating concerns and caregiver stress.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her style blends compassionate, client-centered listening with practical, skills-based techniques from CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to help clients achieve clear goals.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Melana has 14 years of experience providing therapy across a range of concerns, drawing on both clinical training and personal experience to inform her work.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist with the credential CA LMFT 104135 and practices in California.
Can non-English speakers work with her?
She provides services in English; she is not listed as offering other languages and does not accept international clients at this time.
Which session formats are available?
Sessions are offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are arranged through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What steps are involved in getting started?
To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsSelf esteemDepression

Also works with

LGBTTrauma and abuseEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingADHD

Additional focus areas

Autism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Eating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFertility issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingSolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

14+ years

Licensed

California

Languages

English